ACLU of Texas Lists Upcoming Texas School Board Votes on Allowing Daily Prayer Period in Schools, Urges School Districts to Vote No

AUSTIN, Texas — School districts across Texas will vote by March 1 on whether to implement Senate Bill 11, which would allow for a dedicated daily period for prayer and the reading of “the Bible and other religious texts" in public schools.

Maintaining religious neutrality in public schools protects the constitutional rights of students, families, and educators from potential overreach by the state. School districts are expected to hold votes throughout February during regular school board meetings. The ACLU of Texas has put together a toolkit to help people advocate against implementing S.B. 11.

“School districts should reject S.B. 11 because inviting state-organized prayer into public schools will only cause division, pressure students to conform, and distract schools from their core educational mission,” said Caro Achar (she/her), engagement coordinator for free speech at the ACLU of Texas. “This law risks violating students’ and families’ constitutional rights and blurring the critical separation between church and state. Texas students already have robust rights to pray or read religious texts during their own time during the school day. Texas public schools should be places where all students — regardless of faith or background — can learn, grow, and thrive.”

Families, students, and educators can oppose the establishment of these prayer periods by speaking up during school board meetings and directly contacting their trustees. If the prayer periods are approved, parents may withhold permission for their children to participate.
Contact us to speak with our policy and legal experts for more information.

Access the ACLU of Texas S.B. 11 toolkit here: https://live-awp-texas.pantheonsite.io/app/uploads/2026/01/ACLU-of-Texas-SB-11-Advocacy-Toolkit.pdf

Below is a list of school districts with upcoming votes this week:
* The list shows school districts that have added S.B. 11 votes to their school board agendas this week. The information here is not comprehensive. Additional school districts could be voting in the coming weeks

Amarillo

• Boys Ranch ISD (Oldham County)

Austin

• Lake Travis ISD (Travis County)
• Manor ISD (Travis County)
• Bastrop ISD (Bastrop County)

Dallas-Fort Worth

• Dallas ISD (Dallas County)
• Irving ISD (Dallas County)
• Grand Prairie ISD (Dallas County)
• Godley ISD (Hood, Johnson, and Tarrant Counties)
• Cleburne ISD (Johnson County)

Houston

• Alief ISD (Harris County)
• Crosby ISD (Harris County)
• Needville ISD (Fort Bend County)
• Galveston ISD (Galveston County)
• Columbia-Brazoria ISD (Brazoria County)
• Montgomery ISD (Montgomery County)
• Ganado ISD (Jackson County)

Laredo

• Carrizo Springs ISD (Dimmit County)

Lubbock

• Frenship ISD (Hockley and Lubbock Counties)

Odessa-Midland

• Reagan County ISD (Reagan County)
• Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD (Ward and Reeves Counties)

San Antonio Market

• Fort Sam Houston ISD (Bexar County)

Tyler-Longview (Lufkin & Nacogdoches)

• Mineola ISD (Wood County)
• Winnsboro ISD (Wood and Franklin Counties)
• Gary ISD (Panola County)
• Nacogdoches ISD (Nacogdoches County)

Victoria

• Industrial ISD (Jackson and Victoria Counties)

Waco-Temple-Bryan

• Killeen ISD (Bell and Coryell Counties)
• Rockdale ISD (Milam County)